Cabin Talks
by Czar Obezyanka
Summary: Mel & Janice are heading home. While they are in thier cabin they learn alot of each other. *I know it says Xean & Gabrielle in the category but there is no Janice and Mel character tags. This is also a femslash fic*
1. Chapter 1

Discliamers: Janice and Mel belong to the Xenaverse and I do not intend to make money from the XWPfrancise.

Title: Cabin Talks

The cabin was roomy two beds, a dresser and an ensuite. This was a second class trip back to the States.

"Mel, thank you again for paying for the cabin. I promise to pay you once we get back." Janice spoke as she placed her rucksack and the suitcases on the bed underneath the porthole. Chucking her ladies hat in the corner of the room, her companion placing hers on the dresser.

The tall brunette followed behind the blonde and locked the cabin door. "No problem Janice. I had the extra money to pay for this trip home for first class but I am happy to be travelling with a companion." Mel Pappas replied in her southern drawl.

Janice put her suitcase under her bed and pulled her strawberry blonde hair out of its coif. She shook it out and flopped on the bed. "I still can not believe that Jack whatsaname got my sack, after all the hard work and searching by both me and my father for what some nobody to take what is rightfully mine. I suppose I can't be ruffled about it as we are leaving now. I heard from a few of my crew at the site that the Nazis were going to be invading in a month. It is a rumour but I thought after this expedition with the Xena scrolls. It is best to leave while we can".

Mel sat on the end of Janice's bed. Stretching her long legs in front of her, she turned and looked at Janice. Who now had her forearm shielding her eyes. "Well I hope we don't run into trouble, say lets play questions?" Mel asked in a chirpy tone.

An audible groan came from the blonde. "Oh come on Janice Covington. I want to get to know you. A few people I know from the university have said some things about you and I want to know if it's true."

This made Janice sit up, her face turned into a curious expression. "Really and what have they been saying? That I'm a grave robber like my father." She snorted.

Giving Janice's leg a gentle pat, Mel scooted forward. Her glasses slipping down her nose as she smiled. "No, just that a few have said some things and I don't know if they are true. Can I ask?"

Rolling her green eyes, Janice nodded.

A grin appeared across the brunettes face. "Okay, well they said that you act like a man because you want to be one. Is that true?"

Tilting her head, Janice scratched her neck. "Mmmm, well do you mean clothes, behaviour or relationships?"

"I am not sure. Just that ..." Sitting and thinking of the right words Mel crossed her right ankle over her left ankle and tucked it under.

"Well...perhaps I should enlighten you huh? Describe things about me then."

"They said that you uh...rather be out partying and being a man then marrying and playing house." Came the quick response.

Janice sat staring at Mel in disbelief and then she turned her head away. A gurgle of a laugh escaped her lips.

"What is so funny?"

"Oh Mel. My life is to hectic to be playing house. " Janice responded with her fingers making inverted commas to the word "house". "As you so kindly call it, no I don't see myself settling and marrying. Though I once had a fiancé when I was sixteen."

Mel's blue eyes widen at this fact. _"Florence told me that Janice preferred the company of women then men. Perhaps it is wrong and this just another rumour."_

"Really tell me more."

"Lets see, his name was Peter Heathcote. I had met him while I was left in a boarding house at fourteen. This was when my father had gone on his own expedition. Peter was my landlord's son. A very sweet kind man. He was five years old then me and treated me like a kid sister, he would take me to the pictures on Saturday nights and give me candy when I came home from school. When I was fifteen, I noticed he took a more mature shine to me. I didn't really have feelings for him...not in that way." She paused reached over the bed for her rucksack. Pulling out a silver cigarette tin, she pulled out a cigarette.

"Can you pass me that dish over there on the dresser."

Mel got up from the bed as Janice fumbled in the rucksack for her lighter. Mel placed the dish on the small bedside drawer between the beds. "Thanks." Janice spoke with the cigarette between her teeth. Flicking the lighter on, she held it to the tip and felt it catch alight. Inhaling slightly she pulled it from her lips and exhaled.

"What happened?"

"Peter finally asked me out to be his girl. I was flattered and thought why not. Any girl would be thrilled to have a catch. He worked as a junior accountant and was well behaved. He gave me my first cigarette and he was my first lover."

A blush crept on Mel's cheeks at the last fact. "However Mel I decided to split from him. I didn't want to live with him and settle down. I was young and had my whole life ahead of me. He wanted a wife, kids and a four bedroom home with a picketed fence. That wasn't me and I knew that if I married him I wouldn't be happy and couldn't keep the facade. I broke it off with him and he understood."

"Do you still keep in contact?"

Shaking her head and inhaling again. She blew the smoke from the side of her mouth. "No, the last I heard he meet a Russian immigrant by the name of Olenka, Tatiana, Mashka, Irina something like that and their very happy, from what I heard. I think her family was from royalty or wealth before the revolution." Janice paused and grinned back at Mel. "Now Mel tell me why at the age of twenty six you are not married?"

~*~

Please leave a review if you wish. Any questions please feel free to ask.

Czar.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Melinda sat back against the wall. "Well I never got a chance to be with anyone. It's just after schooling, I went to a finishing school and after that I spent time with my father in learning syntax. I also helped him at the university where he taught ancient history. So I had no time to be with someone else. Oh I did go to dances, dinner parties. Just didn't feel the need to be with anyone and besides I had to look after Daddy when Mama died."

Janice nodded as she stubbed out her cigarette. Mel took the bowel from Janice and placed it on the floor by her feet. "When my daddy died and I found your letter requesting help, I just knew I had to help you. Besides I had never been out of the country before. So it seemed like perfect timing right?"

Mel's blue eyes crinkled at the sides as she smiled. "My turn, have you ever been in love? And who was it?"

Janice let a sad sigh and slumped her shoulders. "I'm sorry if it makes you sad." Mel babbled.

Shaking her head, Janice gave a sad smile "I want to show you a picture of someone that was special to me. It is in my suitcase. Can you move, please."

Standing up, Janice got her brown suitcase and unlocked the latches. Sitting it on the opposite bed, she fumbled with the lining of the upper lid. Mel watched Janice's movements and loved the way her blonde hair swished around her back as she moved.

Holding the leather covered photo album in her hands she turned to Mel. "I want to show you these pictures, I'm not sure how you would react though as it's not in the conventional sense."  
Sitting beside Mel, she placed the album on her lap and flipped the front cover so it was resting on Mel's thigh.

The first photograph was of a blonde child of six, with a bob haircut and a large bow tied to the top of the head. A gappy smile shone from the little girl's face as she was settled on the lap of a weather faced  
In perfect cursive writing, "_Janice and Henry Covington, Turkey April 13__th__ 1926" _Janice blushed as Mel looked closer. "Oh that hat in the suitcase is your daddy's. Wow, it must have sentimental value for

"Yes it does. My father took me on a lot of his expeditions. When I was young, but he noticed when I was hitting puberty that some of the men were paying a bit to much attention on me then their work, so he thought it best to leave me in a boarding house. I think also because I was female that he didn't want to put with my menses. Before he went on his last expedition he gave me the fedora."

Mel giggled and turned the next page. A more recognisable teenage Janice was pictured with a handsome young man, his hair combed to the side he was standing proudly next to her with his hand on her waist. _"Peter and Janice, Coney Island July 28__th__ 1936". _Mel admired the plan dress and heels that Janice wore in the picture.

"Peter is a handsome man."

Turning the page again, A more relaxed picture of Janice sitting on a love chair, this time she was wearing male clothing, her blonde hair tied back. Mel's eyesdarted to the figure laying their head on Janice's lap. Long dark hair hid Janice's legs, while the woman had her legs hanging over the arm of the chair. Her hand resting on Janice's arm, while her other held her up on the chair. Janice's gaze in the photograph was looking into the woman's eyes. It showed love for the woman on her lap.

A flutter of envy went through her body at the intimate photograph.

"That is Teresa, she was special to me. Her hair was a fiery red although she was sweet natured always wanting to help people, and she did come on an expedition with me, once. I met her at university, she was studying to be a teacher. We shared a room and become a couple. Her cousin Ebony took the photograph, during the summer of forty-one. I fell in love with her nature and her beauty. She could make me laugh and tell me some of the most funniest stories she encountered while learning to be a teacher."

Mel gave a slight nod while trying not to look envious. "My hair is longer then hers." She muttered under her breath.

Janice gave a confused look. "So uh were is she now? Teaching?" Mel asked covering her last statement.

A quiver went through Janice's voice as she replied "She is no longer with us, she was killed in an automobile accident last year. She was walking across the road to get to me after I called for her to come to the other side of the street. An automobile come from nowhere and hit her. I tried to save her, but it was to late. She was bleeding everywhere and was struggling to breath. She told me she loved me and to tell her sister Melissa that she loved her as well. She was only twenty four."

Janice let out aloud sob and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her coat. Mel put a comforting arm around her shoulders and pulled Janice's head into her bosom. Resting her chin upon Janice's head, she ran her fingers over Janice's back, over her blonde locks and gave soft soothing hushes.

Her body racked with cries of sadness as Janice properly cried for the first time since the death of Teresa. "I never even cried for her. When she was buried I made a vow to find the scrolls for her and for my father. This is the first time I actually have cried and have let her death wash over me in grief. Why does it happen to me? Everyone I get close to either dies or I push away."

Mel didn't know how to respond. "When my mama died, I took over the role as female head of the house. I made sure daddy was dressed appropriately, he took his medication and I accompanied him to parties and dinners. When he died I felt lost because there was just me and him for ten years. Except the time I went to finishing school and that was for three years. As I said when I found your letter wanting help, I recalled daddy talking about you as his pupil and knew the timing was right."

Leaning back Mel tilted Janice's chin up so she could look into her eyes. "I wanted to meet you for so long, all he ever talked about was you and your brilliance."

Janice blinked her eyes as the tears rolled down her cheeks. "Out of his students you were who he favoured. He didn't respond to your request because he was to ill. He knew he could never make it. I was nervous that you didn't want my help. I am glad you accepted me after finding the scrolls. I think you are brilliant Dr Janice Covington." She whispered as she leaned towards Janice and kissed the trembling lips.

Wide eyed, she didn't know how to respond, feeling Mel's lips pressed against hers. It was a long time since she felt another's lips on her own. Slowly she parted her lips and ran the tip of her tongue on Mel's painted lips.

Parting her lips in response, Mel let the warm tongue into her own mouth, the taste of toothpaste and cigarette touched her senses. It wasn't a pleasant taste but it felt great, she couldn't believe this was her first kiss and it just felt right, despite the conversation. Her hand went under the blouse of Janice, the tips of her fingers traced the edge of the bra. It was so warm and sensual, a hand clamped around her wrist and tugged it away from the blouse. Pulling back Mel's expression was puzzled and her blue eyes showed confusion.

"What did I do wrong?"

A sigh escaped Janice. "Sorry Mel, but it's rushing it. Don't get me wrong it felt good, however it's to fast. Your a sweet girl, however if you want to be with me, you have to take time. We are getting to know each other but I don't want to be intimate yet. I'm happy with kisses if that is okay with you?"

Red cheeks crept on her lily white skin and Mel responded with a disappointed sigh. "Yes of course Janice that is fine."

~*~

This is my second chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I will be working on the next chapter tomorrow.

Please feel free to review or ask questions.

Czar.


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